I'm baffled with all of this clutch chatter I'm experiencing, so I'd like your opinions please. For the record, the car has 87k km on it, stock clutch, I've been having the problem basically since I got the car (used, 45k km about Nov 2003), and I DO know how to drive a mtx - been driving them for nearly 15 years. The clutch isn't slipping that I can tell - no issues with accelerating, down shifting, etc. Just the damn chatter.
I will say that since I installed my 3 motor mounts (front and both sides), the chatter is more severe, but I'm thinking that's likely because the mounts aren't absorbing the shudder like they used to.
These are the problems/symptoms I'm having:
- only occurs in first and occasionally in reverse
- intermittent: any where from once in a blue moon to almost constant
- weather/temps don't seem to matter or affect it, either severity or frequency; it's as likely to happen in dry or humid, cold or hot
- will be most likely to happen in frequent stop-and-start situations, such as rush hour traffic or parking lots, BUT will happen at any time, whether the car is cold or warmed up
- generally start out/launch at 1500-2k rpm
- only way to temporarily 'fix' or 'stop' it from happening, is to either go into neutral or stay in gear with the clutch depressed, rev the engine to about 4k or so a couple times, and then slip the clutch more than usual when starting out, usually to around 2k-2500 rpm
- almost feels like the clutch isn't grabbing properly, or that it's unsure of what to do (ie, the frequent stop-start situations), like something's either spinning to fast or not fast enough, if that makes any sense
The best way to describe what I'm experiencing is like this: If you attempt to start out from a dead stop in 2nd, you'll feel the clutch try to 'grab', and you'll likely experience a little bit of shaking in the car, which you'll also feel through the clutch pedal, as the car tries to start moving. It's similar to this, but more pronounced and MUCH deeper, almost like it's coming from deep within the car. Honestly, at times when it's really bad, it sounds and feels like my car is going to shake apart - I hate to think what it sounds like outside the car. It almost feels too like the ass-end is hopping or skipping a little when this happens, it's hard to describe without experiencing it, sorry. Other than this, I have no issues with the tranny or engine that I'm aware of.
Someone knowledgeable and whom I trust thought a *slight* possibility might be a torn inner seal in the tranny leaking fluid onto the clutch... which I guess in some ways makes sense in that it almost feels as if the clutch can't properly grab (ie, slippery).
So if any of you have any ideas or suggestions, please post them up. I'd rather have too many ideas than none at all. I'm considering getting a new clutch, BUT I'm also scared that may not fix my problem.
TIA!
I will say that since I installed my 3 motor mounts (front and both sides), the chatter is more severe, but I'm thinking that's likely because the mounts aren't absorbing the shudder like they used to.
These are the problems/symptoms I'm having:
- only occurs in first and occasionally in reverse
- intermittent: any where from once in a blue moon to almost constant
- weather/temps don't seem to matter or affect it, either severity or frequency; it's as likely to happen in dry or humid, cold or hot
- will be most likely to happen in frequent stop-and-start situations, such as rush hour traffic or parking lots, BUT will happen at any time, whether the car is cold or warmed up
- generally start out/launch at 1500-2k rpm
- only way to temporarily 'fix' or 'stop' it from happening, is to either go into neutral or stay in gear with the clutch depressed, rev the engine to about 4k or so a couple times, and then slip the clutch more than usual when starting out, usually to around 2k-2500 rpm
- almost feels like the clutch isn't grabbing properly, or that it's unsure of what to do (ie, the frequent stop-start situations), like something's either spinning to fast or not fast enough, if that makes any sense
The best way to describe what I'm experiencing is like this: If you attempt to start out from a dead stop in 2nd, you'll feel the clutch try to 'grab', and you'll likely experience a little bit of shaking in the car, which you'll also feel through the clutch pedal, as the car tries to start moving. It's similar to this, but more pronounced and MUCH deeper, almost like it's coming from deep within the car. Honestly, at times when it's really bad, it sounds and feels like my car is going to shake apart - I hate to think what it sounds like outside the car. It almost feels too like the ass-end is hopping or skipping a little when this happens, it's hard to describe without experiencing it, sorry. Other than this, I have no issues with the tranny or engine that I'm aware of.
Someone knowledgeable and whom I trust thought a *slight* possibility might be a torn inner seal in the tranny leaking fluid onto the clutch... which I guess in some ways makes sense in that it almost feels as if the clutch can't properly grab (ie, slippery).
So if any of you have any ideas or suggestions, please post them up. I'd rather have too many ideas than none at all. I'm considering getting a new clutch, BUT I'm also scared that may not fix my problem.
TIA!
